21. Tony

My eyes were closed, but my sense of smell was working overtime.

A multitude of scents assaulted my nose, and I tried to separate them. An aroma wafted off the duvet covering me. Fabric softener? There was a hint of sweat. It must have been hot last night. But there was an unmistakable smell of slick. Mine. And an overarching scent of him: Flint.

Keeping my eyes tightly closed, I ran over the events of whatever day it was. It’d been early morning when we arrived at the house. Maybe it was still today and not tomorrow.

Inconsequential thoughts pushed to the front of my mind, because I was scared that if I went over what happened after I told Flint to take me to bed, I’d regret my decision. Not because it wasn’t the most mind-blowing sex and not because he hadn’t been the most considerate lover, not because he had a big dick and not because he was a shifter and not because I’d developed feelings for him.

Ahhhh. I shoved the covers over my head. Developed feelings? Who said that? That was for people who had a one-night stand and one person in the couple wanted more.

This wasn’t that. Flint had captured my heart and taken it prisoner, much like how we met. But unlike being kidnapped, now I was a willing participant.

Flint was a mobster, and while I didn’t know the ins and outs of his business, unsavory would be the least of it. But being part of the mafia was in my blood, and while I had no shifter traits, I must have shifter DNA from Antonio.

If I hadn’t been Flint’s mate, he would have killed me or handed me to Emilio to do it. How could I love someone like that? Love wasn’t blind, and I couldn’t pretend the man who fucked me senseless and whispered how much he loved me didn’t have a day job that was about evading the law and hurting people.

What were the odds of a relationship surviving between people like us?

I rolled onto my tummy and pulled a pillow over my head.

And where was Flint? Did having sex with your mate dull the mating instinct and he was off carousing at the club? Not that I’d heard of him or seen any evidence he did that, but I was just human college student Tony, and it was hard to understand what he saw in me.

The door opened, and I hunkered down. He had staff. Was this them? If I pretended to be asleep, maybe they’d leave. But Flint’s scent announced his presence, along with something yummy. Or something else yummy, because Flint was delicious rolled up with tasty and wrapped in scrumptious.

A warm naked body slid under the covers, and my body reacted. Damn! Lips were at my ear, followed by cool minty breath.

“I’ve got something for you.”

“Oh really. Is it hard or soft?”

He brushed something very hard against my bare bottom, and I couldn’t help giggling. Gods, he was so gorgeous.

“What if I want something soft?”

“Pfft.” He nibbled my ear. “I only do hard.”

I shivered and raised one leg, hoping he was going to put his cock in me again.

“But do eggs count as soft? I’ve made some.”

“Didn’t know you could cook.”

“I’m a man of many talents.”

Damn, he ruined the moment and brought up my dilemma. There was Flint, the alpha who I adored. Could I use that word? Yeah, I could. But I freaking adored only one side of him.

I rolled over, and he pulled me close, our cocks pressed together while he nibbled the soft skin on my throat and kissed the scar on my shoulder; my mating mark. If I’d planned to have a serious discussion, I’d made a huge mistake.

His fingers danced over my skin, twirling around my nipple before using feathery strokes to reach my belly button. He shoved his hand between us and traced lower over my happy trail.

“I’m fine with a bit of fucking before I go home.”

His hand froze. Damn, what had I said? Maybe he objected to me using the word fucking, thinking I was a delicate flower. Nah, I’d disproved that theory the moment we met.

“I have time, but I have to prep for class tomorrow.” I’d missed a week with my so-called accident.

“You can’t.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll say I had a miraculous recovery.” I grabbed his length and spread my legs.

“This is your home now. We’re mated. And you’re the Alpha Omega. Your college days are over.”

My body bristled with anger, and I whacked Flint with a pillow and leaped out of bed, searching for my clothes. “You did not just say that!” I glowered at him as he lay, hands behind his head, reminding me of medieval paintings in an art gallery.

“I believe I did.”

“Two things.” I held up two fingers. “Mated we may be, but I never agreed to any of this or said I’d live in this… this… McMansion.”

“I can have it redecorated. Just tell me how and it’ll be done.”

I flung another pillow at him, but his wolfy reflexes had him catching it. So not fair. I wished there were a way to turn those off. “That’s not the point. You’re making decisions for moi.”

“Moi?” He quirked a brow and smirked.

“You are the most infuriating person I’ve ever met.”

He forked a mouthful of scrambled eggs between his oh so kissable lips. “That’s my line. You can’t have it.”

“And secondly, I’m a grad student, and I intend to graduate.” I put the last word in air quotes. “To do that, I need to attend class sometimes.”

“You’re the Alpha Omega.”

“Does that come with a badge?” I peered under the bed. “Can’t see it.”

Flint lowered his gaze to my cock. Having this discussion would be better if I wasn’t buck-ass naked and my dick wasn’t bobbing about. I grabbed a pillow and stuck it in front of my crotch.

“Now I’ll have some of those eggs and I’ll mosey on home.” I’d never agreed to live with him or even be his mate, though waking up beside him every morning would be a perk. One tick in the yay column. “We can talk later and come up with a plan.”

“You’d need a bodyguard at college.”

“I’ve managed to survive this far all by myself. I do not need a nanny.”

“Oh yeah? How’d that work out at the club? Huh? Huh? You almost got your head blown off.”

“By you!” Grrrr! “A slight miscalculation.” I stomped into the attached bathroom and paused. Sometime in the last few hours between our fucking sessions, I’d stumbled in to pee, but my eyes must have been closed. I could live in here. It was freaking enormous.

My bare feet stepped over the cool marble, reminding me of the bar at the club. At one end of the room was the stand-alone tub with a view to the grounds and the medium-sized-ass pool. The topiary wolves and the woods beyond. I wouldn’t mind visiting just for a dip in that bath that appeared to be made of marble too. Yikes!

There were his-and-his sinks in the long vanity, and at the other end of the room was a massive walk-in shower with two shower heads. They might have been those ones that simulated waterfalls.

Set into the wall were shelves piled high with fluffy white towels. Opposite was a floor-to-ceiling mirror, a sofa, and an array of toiletries, most of which were unused.

“Do you ever use this bathroom or do you slum it in the basement one?”

Flint appeared, still naked, his hands on either side of the doorway. If I wasn’t so peeved I’d have jumped him.

“I’ll be taking a shower now, as we’re late.”

I noted two words: we and late. We weren’t anything unless the driver waiting to take me home was pacing over the driveway and checking his watch.

“Huh?”

“I have lunch with my family every Sunday, but as it’s past lunch time, I postponed it to dinner.”

I waggled my finger, and his eyes glowed, his chest heaved, and I got a hint of a feral aroma. Damn, was his beast going to pop out?

“I said you’d be there.”

“You didn’t ask me.” I strode into the shower, closed the glass door, and turned on the shower. Water cascaded onto me, and it felt like heaven.

“I didn’t think I had to.” He came in and turned on the other shower. “You’re my mate.”

I turned away, not wanting to focus on my mate soaping up his body. “And I’m a human who isn’t familiar with wolf shifter culture.” Or mafia either.

“Fine. I would very much like you to come and have dinner with my family.”

I avoided the sound of bodywash lathering over his bare wet skin, though my dick paid attention.

“My dad struggled under the Alpha Omega moniker. Perhaps the pair of you can talk about how to manage the role and not let it be everything about you.”

“Not today. Maybe next Sunday or the following one.” I longed to say yes, to be by his side, but I needed some distance or I’d be dragged into a new life, having no say. I wouldn’t recognize myself. “And I haven’t agreed where I’m living, and also, I’m still going to college.”

“Two weeks? I won’t see you for fourteen days?”

I shimmed over to him, rubbing my wet body over his soapy skin. “Maybe your driver could pick me up every so often.” I traced a finger over his jaw and throat. “Or every second night and bring me here.” I clasped his shaft and pumped. His chest heaved, and he yanked me close, his scent filling my nostrils. Gods, I couldn’t keep away. “Or every night?”

“I hate this,” he growled as he bent me over and nudged his cock against my hole.

We hadn’t had the talk about his lifestyle. I was putting it off, fearing it was a deal-breaker.

Would I have the courage to walk away?